Swimming-sandal.



Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

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SWIMMING SANDAL. APPLICATIION H'LED OCT. 11. me.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

e CONRAD SCHNEIDER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SWIMMING-SANDAL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CONRAD SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swimming-Sandals, of which the following is a specification;

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for assisting swimmers, and has as itsprincipal object the provision of means which may be attached to the feet of the operator in such manner as to materially aid in the propulsion of the body through the water and not to impede or interfere with the action of the limbs in walking on the surface of the land.

A further object is to provide such devices in forms which are cheap to construct, ready to apply, and which are very effective in their operation.

These and alliedobjects are attained by the novel construction and combination of parts hereafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a material part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a bottom plan view showing the application of the swimming wing or blade to the foot covering.

Fig.2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar transverse sectional view taken substantially on the same line but showing the parts in a different position, and a Fig. i is a partial longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

The sandals or shoes are arranged to be worn right and left as usual, and consist of an upper portion 10, adapted to receive the feet, to which is secured a sole 11 in the ordinary manner, but devoid of any projecting heel, the surface of the sole being relatively flat and level.

The front end of the sole may be arranged in sections, as 12 and 13, connected by hinges 1 1 and15, thereby allowing the front portion 'of the sole to turn upward when the wearer walks upon a firm surface, thus permitting an easier action than could be obtained if the sole, which is preferably made of wood, were rigid andunyielding.

Secured in the material comprising the sole of the shoe, and at the bottom centrally therein,is a rigidly affixed plate 18, a similar plate 19 being fastened in a like manner 1 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 11, 1916. Serial No. 124,929.

directly under the heel portion ofthe shoe, recesses 20 and 21 extending laterally outward to the left and right, respectively; of the left and right shoe, and to the plates are attached arms-24 and 25 arranged in pairsand held by pivots 26 and 27 in such manner that the arms may freely swing therein.

Also pivotally attached to the plates are links 28 and 29, having open slots 30 receptive of the pins 32, set in the sides ofthe arms 24, the links operating to limit the extreme vertical movement of the armsin one direction, but permitting them to fold closely against the bottom of the recesses 20 and 21 formed in the soles.

The arms 24 have angular bends 34 arranged to fold upward against the side of the sandal, and extensions 35 project parallel to the arms 24 being ofiset therefrom by the length of the elements 34:.

Attached to the extensions 35 are frames 36 to which are secured by any preferred manner, as the rivets 37 a sheet of fabric 38, the same being finely meshed so as to present a blade or wing to the water when extended laterally from the shoe, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thus propelling the user through the water when the limbs are extended forcibly outward from the body.

Upon the return stroke or retraction of the limbs, the blade elementSS is caused to turn downwardly upon the pivots 26 and 27, assuming a substantially vertical position with relation to the sole, thereby presenting no obstruction to the user during the upstroke, the water acting to turn the plate downward, as indicated in Fig. 3, it assuming such position that upon a pushor down stroke, that it will fold upward into place at a height slightly above the level of the sole.

When walking upon the surface of the land, a strap or elastic element 10 secured to the upper side of the frame 36 at one end, as at 41, may be engaged by some form of snap or other fastening 42, at the side of the sandal so as to hold the plate in positionwhere it can not interfere or impede the user while walking, and as the plates extend to the right of the right shoe and left of the or im- 1. In a swimming sandal, the combi'na tion with a sole and means for attaching the sole to the foot, of plates secured in said sole, arms pivotally secured to said plates, a frame attached to the outer ends of said arms, said arms being olfset at the outer ends, and a'blade of fabric attached to said frame, said blade being disposable horizontally and laterally of said shoe or to fold substantially vertical thereof by action of the sandal in the Water.

2. In a swimming sandal, the combination With rigid soles and means for securing said soles to the feet, of plates secured centrally of said soles and at the heels thereof, arms pivotally engaged With said plates, offset elements formed in said arms, extensions parallel to said arms, a rigid frame engaged with said extension a fabric covering said frame, means for securing said fabric in position, means for holding said frame in a normally horizontal position, and means for limiting the vertical action of said arms.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York.

CONRAD SCHNEIDER.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. 0; 

